Pinellas County Extension Shines a Light on Energy Consumption

Through its Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project, Pinellas County Extension is promoting a new gadget that aims to get citizens more energy conscious and eco-friendly. 


The Kill-A-Watt™ Energy Monitor is a simple tool used to see how much energy the devices in a home are actually using, whether they are on or off. Users simply plug the monitor into an outlet, plug an appliance into the monitor, follow The Kill-A-Watt’s™ instructions and watch it work. The monitor measures various aspects of electrical consumption, from voltage of an outlet to watts and kilowatt hours. Users can find out exactly how much energy and money is being consumed by most of their household electronics. 


Pinellas County Extension and the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative have come together to make these Kill-A-Watt™ monitors available for check-out at their libraries to make the assessment of personal energy consumption even easier. 


Extension specialists will also be holding upcoming classes at select libraries to further explain how the monitors work and to give easy tips to make a home more energy efficient in their effort to decrease electric bills and increase environmental friendliness. 


The Kill-A-Watt™ classes will be held according to the following schedule: 


Wednesday, Jan. 11, 3 to 4 p.m. Tarpon Springs Public Library 138 E. Lemon St., Tarpon Springs Phone: (727) 943-4922 www.tarponspringslibrary.org Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 to 11 a.m. Gulfport Public Library 5501 28th Ave. S., Gulfport Phone: (727) 893-1074 www.mygulfport.us 


Saturday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to noon Palm Harbor Library 2330 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor Phone: (727) 784-3332 www.palmharborlibrary.org 


Tuesday, March 13, 7 to 8 p.m. Dunedin Public Library 223 Douglas Ave., Dunedin Phone: (727) 298-3080 www.dunedingov.com 


Saturday, March 31, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Clearwater East Branch Library 100 N. Osceola Ave., Clearwater Phone: (727) 669-1280 www.myclearwater.com 


Thursday, April 12, 6 to 7 p.m. Safety Harbor Public Library 101 Second St. N., Safety Harbor Phone: (727) 724-1525 www.cityofsafetyharbor.com 


Thursday, April 26, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Oldsmar Public Library 400 St. Petersburg Drive E., Oldsmar Phone: (813) 749-1178 www.oldsmarlibrary.org 


Monday, May 7, 1 to 2 p.m. St. Pete Beach Public Library 365 73rd Ave., St. Pete Beach Phone: (727) 363-9238 www.stpetebeach.org 


It is important to remember that all devices cannot be measured using the Kill-A-Watt™ monitor. For example, air conditioners and electric heaters are not compatible with the monitor.  


Registration for classes is required. For more information on the Kill-A-Watt™ monitor, classes or Pinellas County Extension, visit www.pinellascountyextension.org or call (727) 582-2581. To register, visit the website or stop by the library holding the class you wish to attend.


Pinellas County Extension is a partnership between Pinellas County government and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences as part of a nationwide network of land grant universities. The University of Florida is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. 


The mission of Pinellas County Extension is to provide research-based knowledge and education programs enabling people to make practical decisions to improve their quality of life and the world around them. Education focuses on sustainable living, lawn and garden, families and consumers, and 4-H youth development. 


Pinellas County Extension offers programming at the Extension office, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, (727) 582-2100; Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, (727) 453-6800 and at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, (727) 453-6500. For more information, visit www.pinellascountyextension.org and find Pinellas Extension on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 


Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this class you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. At least seven days prior to the class, please contact the Office of Human Rights, 400 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Suite 500, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 464-4062 (Voice/TDD).